Wicked and confused Bembidion

There are over 1200 known species of Bembidion.  Many of them are hard to tell apart.  They are small beetles.  Maybe for this reason some taxonomists have struggled with them, and their frustration occasionally is expressed when they name new species.  For example, there is “Bembidion confusum“, named by Roland Hayward, and “Bembidion impotens“, named by Thomas L. Casey.  In fact, there are least 42 names that have been applied to North American Bembidion that express scorn, deception, uncertainty, and dejection:

Name Meaning Author
Bembidion suspectum suspect Blaisdell
Bembidion falsum false Blaisdell
Bembidion dejectum dejected Casey
Bembidion debiliceps weak-headed Casey
Bembidion perturbatum troubled Casey
Bembidion negligens negligent Casey
Bembidion fugitans avoiding Casey
Bembidion impotens impotent Casey
Bembidion gratuitum gratuitous Casey
Bembidion egens needy Casey
Bembidion indigens needy Casey
Bembidion triviale trivial Casey
Bembidion vapidum lifeless Casey
Bembidion invidiosum invidious Casey
Bembidion obliviosum absentminded Casey
Bembidion impium wicked Casey
Bembidion deceptor deceiver Casey
Bembidion conflictum conflict Casey
Bembidion effetum exhausted Casey
Bembidion oppressum oppressed Casey
Bembidion flebile mournful Casey
Bembidion decrepitum decrepit Casey
Bembidion morosum morose Casey
Bembidion inquietum restless Casey
Bembidion insopitans sleepless Casey
Bembidion sedulum unremitting Casey
Bembidion petulans impudent Casey
Bembidion imperitum inexperienced, ignorant Casey
Bembidion prociduum prostrate Casey
Bembidion derisor scorner Casey
Bembidion decipiens deceiving Dejean
Bembidion fallax illusive Dejean
Bembidion indistinctum obscure Dejean
Bembidion confusum confused Hayward
Bembidion timidum timid LeConte
Bembidion trepidum scared LeConte
Bembidion dubitans doubting LeConte
Bembidion vile worthless LeConte
Bembidion lugubre mournful LeConte
Bembidion litigiosum contentious Motschulsky
Bembidion incertum uncertain Motschulsky
Bembidion contaminatum contaminated Sahlberg

It is clear that Casey had a particularly difficult time with this group – but he kept working on them, so he must have had some fondness for them, too.

This entry was posted in Taxonomic Process and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.

1 Response to Wicked and confused Bembidion

  1. Jackalope says:

    The ‘Gratuitous Bemb’? Love it. Looks like Casey was a bit of a hater…

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